DATE: 9/20/19
QIC: FREE LUNCH
AO: DANGER ZONE
PAX: FREE LUNCH, PRESS ON, BANJO, BURT, VIKING, PIEROGI, FNG OLD TUFFY
Finally fed up with my poor attendance record despite their failed efforts of begging, pleading, daily reminders, offers to buy an alarm clock for me, and constant flexing when nearby to demonstrate what regular attendance can do for you, Flip Flop and Pierogi decided to kick their scheme into high gear. Maybe if we just get Free Lunch to do his VQ once – just once – maybe he’d take it seriously finally. It all started when Pierogi was going to “be out of town” and needed me to post the flag a few weeks back. Seemed harmless but all part of the plan. They knew I’d have to ‘commit’ to not snoozing the alarm at least one day. Fast forward a few weeks and Flip let me know they urgently “needed” me to cover , and wouldn’t take 7:45am doctors appointment as an excuse – had to be today; can’t let the team down. When he started shedding tears I knew I had to cave.
I had no idea Flip would be bailing on me (no hard feelings!) but I do know that when I showed up and realized that there were 3 lunch bags/boxes waiting for me I thought it was cute. But when I finally took the time to realize that 3 grown men woke up that morning at 4:30am and packed lunch bags for me….Free Lunches!….well that just cut me deep. Hell, just thinking about Burt making a peanut butter and chocolate sandwich for me this morning is enough to bring a tear to the eye. As I sat there eating Banjo’s homemade cookie and Pierogi’s Polish chocolate I realized that these are some truly good men! The analogy gets a little tricky here for my simple mind but when you get handed a Free Lunch it always seems to taste better. But when you have to get up, day after day, consistently, and put your blood sweat and tears into working for your own lunch, inspiring others to make their own dang lunch, serving lunches to those who need them…that’s part of what being a man is all about. At the end of the day God’s handed us all a free lunch, and to whom much lunch is given, much lunch is expected. Analogy complete.
THE PLAN:
Quickly brush over the exercise counting – pretty simple stuff. Breeze through the F3 lexicon of exercise selections…..apparently written in Latin…..those 3 or 4 exercises that I recognize should be enough (no, me and the side straddle hop do no have a “side thing” going on, Press On!). Living nearby I know the Danger Zone AO like the back of my hand (hold up, what the %&^% is that!?). Still, did a quick google map overview a couple days out (“You had a week” says Pierogi…..”4 years in the making” says Banjo) and jotted out a rough plan to ruin everyone’s day. Went down and gave it a run through the day before (in replace of a planned 4 mile run…..because dedication) to make sure the timing was right. Got down there early and did a dry run the morning of to refresh. Game time!
WARM UP:
5:45 - Informed the FNG (now formidably known as “Old Tuffy”) that I was not a professional (as if that would not become clear later), reminded him and the group that F3 has no assets to pay medical bills with, and that workouts would only be more professional than this VQ. Jogged around the pickle, merkins, mountain climbers, flutter kicks, overhead claps. All flawless…..totally didn’t screw anything up. “On my up, begin,…..er….1, 2, 3”.
5:51 - Follow me. Run down to Bridge Start.
5:53 - Bear crawls across bridge. 10 Merkins. / Run back. 10 Dips. (3 sets stay on the other side 3rd time across) / alternate Merkins and Flutter kicks until we’re all in
6:00 - Follow me to….2nd Bridge.
6:02 - Forward Crabwalk across. 10 Burpees (far side) / Walking Lunges back. 10 bicycles (near side) / Backward Crabwalk across second time / 10 burpees and Plank hold until done
6:11 - Run around to the Hill. Sprint up!….because this is totally the last exercise. 10 burpees at top, jog back, 10 merkins……ok, we have time for another….back to the top for a another set of burpees
6:16 - Follow me. Run to Stairs.
6:21 - Leave top of stairs.
6:23 - Back at Circle. Circle up.
Flutter kicks / Bicycles / Dying cockroaches / Superman / Merkin / Plank count off / Recover
6:30
Count-a-rama: 7
Name-a-rama: FREE LUNCH, PRESS ON, BANJO, BURT, VIKING, PIEROGI, FNG named OLD TUFFY (loose connection between his 20 years in New Mexico…..New Mexico University Wolves….looks like the NCSU wolfpack…..Pierogi had an Old Tuffy packed in the free lunch he packed, and I just learned 2 days ago that Old Tuffy was a beer….Old Tuffy it is!
Announcements: Odyssey on October 8…picnic to follow. Burt’s building a boxing team for an event on October 3rd…..eyeing me pretty heavily if I can make it back but if anyone is feeling scrappy hit him up!
Prayers: For all those defending our freedom overseas, particularly Burt and Viking’s friend currently serving in Afghanistan.
I took it out with a prayer and was handed some Free Lunch!
Last Message from QIC: Thanks for the opportunity to lead! Special thanks to Flip Flop and Pierogi for pushing me to commit and VQ.